This week’s Writing Excuses podcast episode is another of the ones that Dan, Howard, and I recorded at the Superstars Writing Seminar. For this episode, Kevin J. Anderson joins us to discuss the author’s responsibility to the reader. If you’re not sure what that means (or even if you are), give it a listen. There’s also a new WARBREAKER annotation up that covers Lightsong’s interaction with Allmother.

ConDFW X
Crowne Plaza Suites
7800 Alpha Rd
Dallas, TX 75240

Here’s my schedule.

FRIDAY

Panel Room 1 – Warwick
4pm – Brandon Sanderson – a Reading by the Author
Join our Guest of Honor as he reads from his own works. What will he be reading? Well, that’s a secret you’ll have to
show up to find out.

Panel Room 1 – Warwick
5pm – From Pests to Pets: Trends in Fantasy
Panelists: Lee Martindale (M), Brandon Sanderson, Rachel Caine, Gloria Oliver, Patrice Sarath
Hollywood has made the Fantasy genre more and more accessible with successful movies such as “How to Train Your
Dragon” and the rebirth of fairy tales in “Tangled” and the upcoming “Red Riding Hood”. Our experts discuss where
fantasy is today, and where it will be in the future.

Panel Room 1 – Warwick
6pm – The Aspiring Writers Panel
Panelists: Shanna Swendson (M), Brandon Sanderson, Jack McDevitt, Tim Powers, Brad Fawcett
So you want to be a writer? So do a lot of people, and all of them are scratching and clawing for recognition. Let our
panelists be your guide through literary madness, and show you some of the tips and tricks needed to keep your sanity. This
year we add a little editor perspective to the panel in addition to our Guests of Honor.

Panel Room 1 – Warwick
8pm – Opening Ceremonies

SATURDAY

Panel Room 3 – Canterbury
12pm – Writing Excuses: Timing is Everything
Panelists: Teresa Patterson (M), Brandon Sanderson, Lillian Stewart Carl, Rhonda Eudaly, Thomas W. Knowles
Our experts talk about timing, and specifically how to MAKE time to write. When to write, how to write most effectively,
and scheduling. All these things are important and will keep aspiring writers from their livelihood if they aren’t careful. <Note: We won’t actually be recording any episodes of Writing Excuses at the convention.>

Autographs area in front of the dealer’s room
2pm – Brandon Sanderson Signing

Panel Room 1 – Warwick
5pm – Guest of Honor Speech and Q&A: Writing Excuses with Brandon Sanderson
Did you know that Brandon has a very popular podcast called Writing Excuses? Of course you did! Now come see him
discuss the craft of writing in person. Who knows, if he runs out of words, he may even take your questions.

Panel Room 1 – Warwick
6pm – Fantasy with a slice of Science: How much do you need?
Panelists: Brandon Sanderson, Mark Finn, Lee Martindale (M), Gloria Oliver, Stina Leicht, Frank Summers
It is an easy excuse to use, if something doesn’t make sense, it’s due to “magic!” But in this day and age, it’s increasingly
falling out of favor, even magic must have an order to it. In other words, even magic has a scientific process. But how
detailed must an author go before a public invokes “plausible deniability”? Our panelists discuss their cooking formulas,
and what they view the proper mix is.

SUNDAY

Panel Room 2 – Manchester
11am – Playing in Someone Else’s Sandbox: Wheel of Time
Panelists: Teresa Patterson (M) and Brandon Sanderson
Industry pros discuss writing in someone else’s world, specifically Robert Jordan’s. The panelists won’t be covering HOW
they got the job, but rather what they did once they had it. What is it like following someone else’s constraints? And really
can it ever be as rewarding as your own creation?

Autographs area in front of the dealer’s room
12noon – Brandon Sanderson Signing

Panel Room 3 – Canterbury
1pm – Don’t Quit Your Day Job!
Panelists: Teresa Patterson (M), Brandon Sanderson, Dusty Rainbolt, Gloria Oliver, Beverly Hale
Okay, you think you are the next best thing to sliced bread. The problem is, you NEED bread to survive. Here are some of
the options you can do to make ends meet while you’re waiting for that big break.